I thought guns were banned in England??

[redhen]

They also "banned" shooting other people.

Laws don't stop crime at all

I agree 100%

 

[redhen]

They usually help, though.

How??

 

[NixNoodleNumbat]

They usually help, though.

How??

In my experience, they tend to help somewhat. IMO

 

[rufus]

Mexico is really strict on gun laws, too, but there are ways to own them if you're a citizen. Penalties are harsh for breaking the law.

But it seems that just about everyone has one. I have to wonder about that "Fast and Furious" program. The cartels have this "Plata o Plomo" policy. Government officials either get the silver or a lead bullet. The inclination is to take the bribe.

Again, I have to wonder who in our government took the silver? Just how high up in the system does the corruption go? I can't imagine anyone in government making the kinds of decisions that were made in that program.

Rufus

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Thank God for the United States Constitution, and the Second Amendment, that is all I have to say!!!

 

[Highlander]

I'm quite happy with our gun laws. There are some seriously crazy people out there, adding guns into the mix scares the bejeezus out of me!
Even pepper spray is illegal here.

 

[newfoundland]

Owning a hand gun is illegal in the UK, but sadly it does not stop criminals from getting their hands on them. Shootings are relatively rare and generally confined to young gang members.

It is legal to own a shot gun and/or rifle if you have a proper permit issued by the police, who come to your home and interview you as well as inspecting the locked cabinet in which guns must be stored and the ammunition kept locked separately. Pistols can only be kept at gun clubs and not in the home. These are only permissible for sporting purposes, targets etc.

Police are not generally armed, I believe about 10% belong to what we call firearm units. They have truncheons and pepper sprays. Following the gunning down of policemen, there is often a debate as to whether they should be armed. Neither the public nor, more importantly the police themselves seem to want to go down that road. Most people believe that too much damage is done to society by the so called gun culture.

 

[bakerjw]

Gun bans only affect the law abiding citizen. Just like "Gun free zone" signs. How many criminals see one of those and think "Gee. I guess I can't take my gun in there."

 

[bakerjw]

TO add an interesting fact.

Here in the US silencers are strictly regulated under the NFA. To purchase or build a silencer requires fingerprint cards, a completed Form 1 or 4, a check in the amount of $200.00, and a 6 month wait. In the UK and many places in Europe you can go into a hardware store and buy a silencer off of the shelf. Many places over there shooting without a silencer is considered bad manners.

 

[newfoundland]

There are some strange anomalies in the law, it is true. Having said that, I have never seen silencers for sale in UK or Europe. I think the situation is that guns are not generally owned in UK.Most people, me included have absolutely no experience of them. The difference between the UK and the US is that we have no written constitution, much less any legislation that gives the citizens the right to bear arms. As I understand it the law has dealt with felons since medieval times. Most towns employed a constable in those days, and the High Sherrif was responsible for keeping the King's peace. It is an historical fact that ordinary citizens have never been armed. I personally think it is not something I would want to see on our streets. There is too much danger of innocent people being caught in the crossfire for one thing.